Delicate As Glass
by X-Bride
Summary: Rei does not want to attend a dance, but is a promise by a boy who actually wants to be her date make up for Rei's negative worries? ReiKaworu. Please R&R. Review too Plz?
1. Default Chapter

**Delicate As Glass**

Disclaimer: Evangelion and all its trademarks, characters, themes, and situations belong to the nice people at Gainax. I, however, am the creator of this fanfic about Rei and Kaworu! Hope you R&R and enjoy Oh, don't forget to review!

_Promises are delicate...like glass._

_Be careful what you do with them, and who you are giving them to,_

_Because...if you were to break a promise, it would shatter...like glass._

_Be very careful not to get cut by the falling shards,_

_Of something that was once beautiful like that of a promise._

If one would know how cold it was outside, it would probably be Rei Ayanami, the first child of the said Evangelion Unit 00, fourteen years old. Piercing, frigid temperature dominated the western winds and deprived the apple tree its fruit. Not nearly freezing, though still cold, Rei didn't seem to notice, denying the fact that she was very, very cold.

Rei did not seem to mind the cold weather before, but now, her freezing sensation over-powered her stream of consciousness. There was also the fact that Rei did not have a proper winter coat on her, just a tattered shall she had for about a year or so. The reason for this? Ask Rei. It was her choosing.

Well, Rei's sole reason for standing at the bus stop in her school uniform with her long sleeves and a worn-out shall was a self-executed plan just for Rei herself. Rei wished and wanted to actually catch a cold, maybe if she's lucky the flu. She wanted to get cold enough to become sick without freezing into a state of anemia. Now, anyone would ask why would someone do that? Rei had a good, but personal reason why. Her school's dance was around the corner, and Rei did not want to attend, although Misato, her temporarily guardian when Gendo is absent, would make her go. Misato though that Rei needed fun events like a school dance to make her more at ease with the people around her. Rei, however, begged to differ. She did not like to be around people.

Am I that insecure? she thought to herself. Rei was now very, very, very cold. She was now beginning to feel woozy. Almost feeling to faint on the pavement, Rei signaled for a bus to drive up. One bus did so. She boarded, payed her fare, and sat in the back row to where the heater cannot touch her. No one looked at her, thus Rei was positive she was not going to that dance. I am ugly, she thought. An ugly doll, that is all.

Knowing at Misato's place that Shinji, Asuka, and Toji where hemming pants on the boys's tuxedos, and sewing flowers on the bottom of Asuka's dress, all in preparation of the dance next week. Rei wanted no part of it. She knew that if she WERE to attend th merriment, she would never be asked to dance, have a miserable time, probably stain her dress with some punch, and would rather be fighting an Angel and risking her chances of death.

Rei, secretly wanted to go and see if it would be worth the while, but she didn't want to take any chances. All of her classmates already knew Rei was a laconic, solitary, quiet girl that very seldom talked to others. A girl with a stolid face and reflective, red eyes was what Rei was looked upon as. She felt like a pariah Cinderella, like the glass slippers were a stigma for her at the dance. What would be of her prince charming? Rei didn't want to go that far...yet.

Rei let her head dangle, her eyes staring at her shoes. For a few moments, her eyes began to stare at another pair of shoes, sneakers actually, that were pure white, very attractive, but no more attractive than the actual person wearing them.

"Good afternoon, Miss Ayanami," said the person. Rei reluctantly lifted her head, her eyes, and looked upon a smiling face with the same beautiful red eyes that she had.

"Hello, Kaworu-kun," Rei answered softly with no feeling in her voice. Rei had a good sense of what everyone was like, personality-wise or characteristic-wise, but she was short on what to make of Kaworu, the fifth child who replaced Asuka when she was hospitalized for so long. Rei found that she could not just ignore Kaworu's gentle, angelic smile. No person smiled at her like that before, so she had to answer to him, it was only fair. "Are you on your way home?"

"I am, yes," he said. "Miss Ayanami..."

"Umm...you can call me Rei, I would not mind. Call me Rei," Rei said shyly.

"Alright," Kaworu smiled. "Rei, you are shivering quite vigorously. Are you cold?"

"No," Rei lied, "I'm not cold, just..." Rei thought quickly, "nervous."

"Nervous? Nervous about what?"

"About...an assignment." Whew! Rei slipped through that question.

"Oh. Is there anything I can help you with, Rei?"

"No, no thank-you, Kaworu-kun. Thank-you anyway, but I'm afraid I do not have anything that others can help with." Rei was on a roll with this pretend assignment deal. Rei was uneasy talking to boys just as well as girls, but Kaworu did not make her uneasy, just very stiff in her own shell. Kaworu was going to the dance along with Shinji, Asuka, and Toji; however, the question if Rei was going did haunt Kaworu's mind although he did not want to ask her since she did not come right out and say that she was going.

"Rei, are you sure you are feeling well? You seem very pale. Are you ill?" Kaworu asked bending down a little to get a better look at Rei's face. "Rei? Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm fine," Rei said in a half reassuring voice.

Mission complete. Rei was now getting sick, so she did not have to go to that dance, even if Misato says she should go. Besides, Rei didn't even have a date to bring. Toji was going with Hikari, Asuka was escorted by Kaji ("Don't do anything funny to her!" Misato warned), and Kaworu was going with Shinji. Rei was the black sheep this time...er...again. Rei wanted at least someone to be her date, she even would settle for Pen-Pen. Alas, Rei kept telling herself that it was just another dance, and she should not worry herself about it.

"Rei, it is a good thing that we are both heading home, because you should get to bed right away. You are not feeling well, I can tell. I do not want to see you sick, not now, not with the dance next week."

Rei froze at that last statement. She held her breath. Kaworu looked worried. Rei's eyes lowered back to their shoes and dropped into a state of awkward silence. Kaworu wanted to apologize if he said something he shouldn't have, but he kept his tongue. He knew now that Rei was not worried about an assignment, but the dance. Kaworu, though, still believed that Rei did have an assignment but it was not that important to her than the dance itself.

The bus stopped two streets from Misato's apartment; Rei and Kaworu stepped off the bus together and began to walk home. Nothing was more nerve-wracking than the tensions than the no-talking silence and stillness, but in reality to Kaworu and Rei, both were equally as bad as the other.

They both kept walking in the cold, as Rei's shivering returned. She was playing with fire now. She was going to end up missing more than a week of school if she didn't get into something warm. The shall did nothing for her anymore. Rei thought she was some kind of masochist martyr. Something disrupted her train of thought when she was not as cold as before. Kaworu was now shivering a little because he had put his coat over Rei so she would not get more ill than she was already heading for.

Rei's eyes grew as she looked at Kaworu. He held his hands to his mouth to try to warm them up. He only had on his white T-shirt from his uniform and his long pants. Nothing more, nothing less. Rei felt this warm feeling, not from having more layers of clothing, but in her heart. She was not used to this much kindness from a single being. The breeze picked up, the two teens shivered more, but they did get home before the stronger winds blew. It was an unusual time for Rei; she was never treated like that from another person, except from Commander Ikari and Shinji, but that was on duty and fighting the Angels. This was real life.

Once inside, Rei wanted to smile, but she gave a painful cough instead. Rei was now sick. The dance was now killed from her picture. No dress for her, no punch stain, and no humiliation. The solitary, caged bird would choose to sing alone. Lady Cinderella would continue to sweep without a word.


	2. Chapter the Second

Delicate As Glass

Chapter 2

As soon as Rei kicked off her wet, black shoes in the corner of the door way, she glanced at Kaworu because she still clenched his coat over her. Despite the less than comfortable conditions outside, Kaworu did not look as ill and drowsy as Rei herself was.

"Misato? Shinji? Anyone home?" Kaworu called out. Rei stayed put, still observing the fifth child when his movements, graceful and smooth just like an angel, moved toward the kitchen. The kitchen, as usual was piled with beer cans in the corner by Misato, but other than that, it was pretty clean. "Misato-chan? Are you home?" Kaworu asked again.

"Yes?" came Misato's voice from the living room? "I'm in here, Kaworu-kun!"

Before Kaworu walked to the living room, he noticed the still Rei with his coat still over her like a tent. She was so ill-looking, that Kaworu went for the kitchen and came back with a cup of hot chocolate for Rei.

"Here...for you. To warm up a little. You should get into bed now, Rei. Can you walk alright? Rei?" Rei just stood there like a hanged person, staring at the smoke from the hot chocolate cup in Kaworu's large, white, and bony hand. Her breath was so cold, yet warm from her body temperature, that her throat felt tight and couldn't even say thank-you to Kaworu properly. She felt awfully faint due to her thin blood from the cold chilling air. Empty, that is what Rei felt, just empty, very sick. Rei lost her balance and fell onto Kaworu, the hot chocolate went flying from his hand. Without losing his balance as well, Kaworu maintained his posture and caught Rei.

"Rei! Rei? Are you okay? Rei? Wake up! Can you hear me, Rei?" Kaworu panicked for a second, then he straightened Rei up and swept her in his arms. "She...She is awfully light. She didn't eat at all today did she?" Kaworu whispered to himself. "My, my...Rei." Kaworu gathered his strength and carried the unconsciousness Rei upstairs to her room.

"Kaworu? Kaworu?" Misato called out. "Hi there, Kaworu. How was shopping today? Did you get the baby's breath and roses for the dresses? And the black thread for you boys' tuxes?"

"Y-Yes, I did, Misato-chan," the bag is right on the table in the kitchen," Kaworu answered, trying not to let Misato find out that he was obviously carrying something in his arms. "Kaworu? Did you happen to see Rei at all? She said that she was going to the library to check out a book, but that was hours ago. Have you seen her yet?"

"Yes, actually I have. I have seen her, Misato," Kaworu said seeing no other way around the problem. "Here she is." Kaworu had shown the fainted Rei to Misato and whispered: "Shhh," to keep Rei from waking. Misato put her hands over her mouth in shock.

"Kaworu," Misato said in a worried voice, "is she alright?"

"I don't think so, Misato-chan. She kinda fainted. I believe she is catching a fever. I'll take her up to her room. Is that alright?"

"By all means. I hope she is not sick enough for the dance. All of you kids have been looking forward to it for so long."

"Yes. I hope she will come." Kaworu smiled down at Rei's calm, but cold, face and continued up the stairs.

About an hour later, Misato was hemming Kaworu's pants with him wearing them. Asuka was eating an ice cream cone, and Shinji and Toji were helping Misato with the black thread and needles that were for the hemming. Kaworu was not all that focused on his pants for his suite, but more concerned for Rei upstairs. Rei was never sick before, so Kaworu had his worries and suspicions that Rei was not taking good care of herself. Over-stressed? he thought. Maybe. But the little voice in Kaworu's head told him that there was something else on Rei's worry list.

"Kaworu-kun? Hey!" Toji said to the fifth.

"Oh? Y-Yes? What is the matter?" he answered, snapping back to reality.

"Could you stand up more straight? The hemming on both sides are uneven."

"Oh, yes, of course," Kaworu said calmly.

"So what did you do today, Kaworu-kun?" Shinji asked slightly blushing.

"Nothing really special," he replied. "However, I managed to see a princess today."

"A what? A princess?" asked Asuka in full doubt. "What in the world are you talking about? Did the coldness knock you out of your senses, Kaworu-kun? Princesses don't exist anymore, except in foreign countries if that."

"Well," Misato started, "I think that any girl can be a princess in her own unique way. If they believe they can become a princess then they could achieve it. When I was a kid, I used to believe that I was going to be the next Japanese pop star. It was fun dreaming it for a while and living it out, but things change for some people. Instead I became an associate at NERV H.Q. There's nothing wrong with believing to be something that you yourself think is terrific and trying to accomplish it, even if it is something as lofty as a princess."

Shinji, Asuka, Toji, and Kaworu all stared at the purple-haired woman as though she had bubbles coming out of her ears.

"Whoa, Misato," Asuka said. "I never knew you were so full of emotion. Never expected that from you."

"Hey, I was once your age, Asuka," Misato added on. "So, Kaworu, who was the princess? Was she a total babe?"

Kaworu's eyes wandered the ceiling; he thought a moment and replied: "She was very... serene. A very noble lady that she was." He released a suspicious-like smile.

"Yeah? But who was she?" Toji asked with a curious tone.

"Who was she?" Kaworu repeated. "Well..."

"Yeah?" Asuka continued.

"Can't tell," Kaworu giggled softly. He glanced at the blushing Shinji who gave him a weak smile. Kaworu smiled in a certain smile that reassured Shinji that he was truly in love with him, but Kaworu had certain, growing feelings for Rei. Misato laughed and said something that Kaworu was just being shy. Asuka complained and tried to say different names of different girls in the school and ones she knew so she could guess which girl Kaworu was referring to. Soon she gave up. Toji congratulated Kaworu on finding such a bold young lady, and Kaworu gave himself a small grin due to the priceless dramatic irony that was not bad at all for anyone.

Around six o'clock, Kaworu's pants were hemmed, sewn, and stitched; then he strolled into the hallway to go upstairs and check if Rei was alright. Kaworu still had that annoying voice in his head that Rei was trying to access a different kind of goal out there in the damp and cold weather that caused her to faint into such a soporific state. Rei, indeed, was a certain type of noble princess to Kaworu. Not the dainty kind, and not the prince-like kind. A Sleeping Beauty at the present time, she was a princess of stainless glass. She appeared to be without emotion quite often, but her soul, the very foundation of her, was a delicate and fragile as glass, porcelain glass of a breakable, delicate doll. Only Rei would reply: "I'm not a doll." Of course she wasn't. Not at all, Kaworu thought. Not in the least. Kaworu only thought of Rei as a delicate shell that had emotions on the inside, not the outside in respect of her liking. Keeping quiet as a mouse, Kaworu made his way up the stairs, past the tall lamp in the corner, and stopped before Rei's bedroom door.


	3. Chapter the Third

Delicate As Glass

Chapter 3

Procrastination. That was the subject clouding Kaworu's mind as he paced to and fro in front of Rei's bedroom door. Kaworu was nervous yet partly shy at the thought of going into a young lady's room while she was sleeping only to check and see if she is well. She is probably sleeping right now, Kaworu thought to himself. Leaning against the wall he thought some more about the other options he could muster up. I would be impolite to barge into her sleeping quarters while she sleeps, he thought. Poor Rei. I know she is upset about something, but I cannot quite put my finger on it. Kaworu felt tension building up in his heart and mind, so he decided to act halfway.

He slowly turned the brass doorknob and silently opened the door ajar. He peeked in to see if Rei was safe and sound. He noticed that she had eaten all of the soup that he had prepared for her earlier and drank all of the warm milk. As her sleeping face, vulnerable and innocent, rested upon the white sheet of her pillow, Rei's face seemed more at ease than it was when she was on the bus and walking home with Kaworu. Still pale as Kaworu, Rei did look better than previously.

Kaworu smiled and closed the door carefully without waking her. Turning to face the hallway's opposite wall, Kaworu could not help but think that Rei was more worried and weak than she had been letting on. The end of his lip created a curve that signaled that Kaworu had an idea. Not an ingenious idea but an idea nonetheless. Somebody has to keep an eye on such a Sleeping Beauty, he thought.

About 8 o'clock, Kaworu was awaken from a peaceful slumber by the sound of merry and gay laughter from downstairs in the living room. Before he knew what was going on, or figured out that it had been at least two hours since he drifted off to sleep, Kaworu still remembered what happened before. He had been leaning against his pillow with his blankets over his slender body out on the hallway floor, in front of Rei's bedroom door. He wanted to sleep outside Rei's door just in case something went wrong. He was worried, that was the case. Sleeping in her room would cause questionable issues; because Kaworu's room was the furthest from Rei's, the next best thing was staying outside her bedroom door. He rubbed his eyes sleepily, and stood up without falling down. He swiped his blankets and pillow in his arms and went downstairs and into the living room. Misato and the others were watching comedy on TV, Kaworu noticed. They were having such a good time downstairs in the living room.

"Hey, Kaworu-kun!" Asuka waved. "Wanna watch this movie with us? It's freakin' hilarious!"

"What is it?" Kaworu asked. "What is the name of the movie?"

"50 First Dates," Shinji replied. "It is very funny. Wanna watch?"

Even thought neither one of them, except Misato, who was drinking a beer on the couch, knew that Rei was very, very, very, very, very sick , Kaworu pondered wether or not to stay downstairs or go back upstairs. He rushed his hand through his silver locks and dropped his beautiful eyes on the floor, staring at his slippers. Rei was sleeping; he had just awakened. He though it wouldn't hurt to watch a movie if Rei was sleeping all that time while he slept outside her door. So he decided.

"Sure, I will gladly watch it with all of you," he said in a dreary tone. He sat next to Shinji, put his arm around him and laid his head on his shoulder. Kaworu appeared very tired and worried at the same time. Misato and Asuka, while Toji continued viewing the movie without a care, stared at Kaworu and Shinji's position questionably. Shinji turned pink in the face, but it appeared blue in the dark room with the TV's light showing on his delicate skin.

"Uh...Kaworu-kun?" asked Misato, "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, you don't look so hot," Asuka agreed with a sweat drop.

Kaworu replied: "Hmm-nnnm..." as he turned his head a little toward the TV with closed eyes. What Kaworu, in this case, was thinking of was Rei. For some cosmic-parallel reason, Kaworu could just feel that something was wrong with his co-pilot. He did not like even the thought of someone he knew, especially Shinji, being unhappy or sad. Kaworu listened to the dialogue of the movie, then was interrupted by another one of Misato's questions.

"Are you sure you're okay, Kaworu-kun? You look tired. Maybe you should go straight to bed for the night." Kaworu barely shook his head on Shinji's shoulder. Misato was replied with an answer of a dreamy sort. "I'm ok. Just thinking." Misato, being a teenager before, knew that he was thinking deeply and needed some thinking time to himself, so she cut the third degree. Asuka looked at him seeing that is wasn't a 'what' he was thinking of. It was more of a 'who.' Question was: Who was this 'who'? Asuka didn't seem to think that Kaworu was that concerned with it seeing the calm expression on his face, so she turned her undivided attention to the film.

"I haven't even met you!" said Drew Barrymore to Adam Sandler, the two leading roles in 50 First Dates. Kaworu opened his eyes at that line then shut them again. Almost falling asleep leaning against Shinji, Kaworu almost gave up on Rei's predicament but he was not going to ignore it all together.

"Interesting," Misato said. "She knows him one day and the next she doesn't remember him. Interesting..."

I saw and spoke with her one the bus, thought Kaworu, giving his last attempt to figuring out if Rei was really depressed and what he could do about it, and why she did not even have a coat in this cold winter weather. Let me see...I said hello, and she said hello back. I said that she did look pale, oh, no...! Did I hurt her feelings? God, I hope not. Then...after I said another thing she froze like a photograph. What did I say? What was it that caused her to look like that. After I said that...! That's it! She did not talk the rest of the way home until she fainted. It definitely was something I said. God, I'm an idiot! Now what was it?

"She doesn't like men hitting on her when she's eating her breakfast," said another actor in the film.

His thinking path, deep and turning, Kaworu's eyes remained shut. Was she trying to get sick on purpose? he thought. No, it couldn't be. Rei would not do that. Then what is it? I cannot think of another reason.

"That's crazy. That is the kind of story I would tell a girl so she would never call me again," said Sandler.

"Hmm...interesting," Misato repeated. "Oh! I'm so glad that we got you kids' cloths done for the dance next week. You guys will have such a great time."

"Isn't Rei-chan going with us?" Shinji asked to Misato.

"I really don't know, Shinji-kun," Misato said. "I really don't know."

Just then, Kaworu's eyes snapped open as though he had just been shot. He stood erect at an instant, scaring Shinji and the others. Kaworu's paroxysm of such an action within an outburst of alertness in so little seconds even pulled Toji's attention from the movie.

"What is it?" Asuka asked. "What's the matter, Kaworu-kun?"

"I-It...It is nothing," Kaworu lied in a low voice. It was at that moment a thought came to Kaworu's chamber of his mind: Did Rei attempt to catch an illness just to avoid going to the dance with him and everybody else? I'm not 100 sure that's what it is but it could be. Rei...

"You sure are acting strange," Toji said. "Is anything wrong?"

"Sorry," Kaworu said. "I'm just a little paranoid. No worries." It was not a "no worry" situation for him to tell the truth. Kaworu, thanks to a little help from the movie, discovered the truth or the possible truth to Rei's secret.

"Hey, where are you going Kaworu-kun?" Shinji asked the older pilot as he walked away with his blankets and pillow.

"I'm sleepy so I'm gonna go to bed now, but I have something to take care of first," he said with a weak smile. All of them bid Kaworu a good night and he did the same before climbing the stairs to Rei's bedroom. As before, he stood in front of the door with a blank face. Eyes of possible regret gazed a the stern oak, polished to shine. Taking a deep breath, he gripped the doorknob, tightening his grip on his blankets and pillow, and turned but stopped in the middle of the turn when he heard a yawn come from inside the room. The door was already slightly opened when Rei caught sight of his red eyes full of concern. Kaworu ceased in breath, broke out in a cold sweat and felt his heart in his throat. Rei saw him.


	4. Delicate As Glass

Delicate As Glass

Chapter 4

"Kaworu?" Rei asked with half lidded eyes. "What is it?"

Now, Kaworu knew all too well that it would be easier to lie and run with his tail between his legs, but he felt he could not lie as he gazed into Rei's sleepy face. He almost felt his heart skip a beat. As the chime from the clock downstairs, Kaworu did not realize that he had been standing there looking at Rei for awhile now. Rei must have though he was crazy or something, but she was thinking something else entirely.

"Kaworu? Kaworu, come in...if you want. I am awake now."

'She sounds awful. She must be very sick. Why did she...?' Kaworu's thoughts were on standby as he waltzed into the blue-haired piolet's bedroom. She stared at him with those deep crimson eyes full of lost and wondering.

"How are you feeling?" Kaworu managed to speak in a tone higher than a whisper.

"I am alright, just a little tired." Kaworu knew she was playing him for a complete fool. He, not knowing what was really going on in her head, She, thinking she could play the "sick" maiden.

"Can I get you anything, Rei-chan?" Kaworu smiled.

"Yes, please," she said politely. "May I have a small salad?"

"Would you like a dress with that?" Whoops!

"Excuse me?"

"I meant, would you like some dressing with that? French? Ranch? Vinegar?"

"French please, Kaworu-kun. Thank-you," she said pulling the covers up to her neck. Kaworu just stood there staring at the first child. He wanted to say something to her about the dance but he knew it was none of his business. It was the way she avoided it and how she felt about things like this that concerned him.

'We are all growing up,' Kaworu thought. 'We have to learn to cope with these kinds of things: dances, dates, puberty, working...the real world.'

Taking a deep breath, Kaworu sat next to Rei, pretending to be asleep, and decided to comfort her, even if it made her hate him in the end. Kaworu could not bear to see any one of his friends in such pain and/or denial of what they really want or who they really are.

"Rei-chan, I know this does not concern me, but I know why you are sick." Rei, twitched at this and squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to hear this. She was afraid to see what was right in front of her. "I may be wrong, however it is hard not to see it. You didn't want any one else to thought."

'Stop it!' Rei screamed in her mind.

"You tried to freeze yourself, didn't you? In order to obtain a cold or worst, the flu?"

Silence.

Rei turned halfway over, avoiding eye contact with the fifth child. "How did you know that," she replied in a faint whisper.

"Well, it was a little strange that everyone besides you are talking about the big dance, and most of all, not attending at all. Also, you almost never get sick, Rei-chan and all of a sudden you are more sick that a hospital patient. It didn't add up at first but then-"

"It's none of your business, Kaworu-kun," Rei calmly shot out. "I did this because I wanted to, nothing else. Please leave."

Kaworu couldn't argue with her but simply grant her request. He couldn't simply refuse a request from a pretty girl. He stood up and headed towards the door without a word until he stopped and stared at the hallway.

"Rei-chan?"

"Yes?"

Kaworu tried to organize what he wanted to say into a sentence that won't embarrass him into a complete fool.

"I know being sick is an easy way out if one doesn't want to attend something. However, I do know you, Rei-chan, do not want to go to the dance. I won't force you to. All I felt was worry for you. I didn't want you to get too ill because I wanted you to come and see your wonderful smile. If you do not want to come, I understand. If it would've made you happy, I would have been more than happy to be your date." Rei's eyes widened. Her heart sank to the deep, bottomless pit of her shattered being. She felt like a fool, a selfish fool. All this time she was busy getting Rei what she wanted, and she got it. She was now sick in bed with over an 100 degree fever having a boy she knew felt sorry for her. 'I am such an awful person,' she thought. "It wouldn't be the same without you, Rei-chan. Y'know, I think you are a very beautiful young woman who deserves to be in a pretty dress, dancing with her friends and having a great time. I know I would like it."

With another moment of stillness, Kaworu cast his head down and concluded: "I shall get you a salad now. I wish you a fast recovery." The door shut softly, and Rei could hear Kaworu's small footsteps disappear as he walked further down the hallway.

With tears filling up her deep red eyes, Rei buried her face in her extra-fluffy pillow and blamed herself for her selfishness that was nothing but a burden to Kaworu.

'I am worthless. Nothing but a selfish little brat. I will never be happy, not like this,' Rei thought before she fell asleep.

(A few days later...)

The last four Eva pilots began to get ready the afternoon of the dance with bright enthusiasm. All, except for Rei.

Though she got over her cold, she still claimed that she was still weak and needed more recovery.

Every time she reminded Misato of that, everyone except for Kaworu looked at her in worry. Rei stared at him, feeling like she was watching a person being hanged. The look in his eyes was that of utter bafflement, nothing at all like ignorant dismissal. It was still early, about three o'clock, so everyone decided to relax before heading out.

Luckily, Misato kept everyone busy by telling some jokes that nobody though was very funny, but all listened attentively to mold another joke from a seemingly bad one. Rei, on the other hand, walked back up to her bedroom with a gloomy look on her face.

'I hope they have fun,' she thought with a sad face. 'I do not belong at such a fun event. I am too insecure. So insecure and selfish that I am ugly.' Rei was interrupted by a knock at her door.

"Come in," she said. There was Misato, leaning against the door with her infamous look that means she has suspicions. "Hello, Misato-san. Can I help you?"

"Yes, you can, Rei-chan. I am going to be blunt about this."

"Y-Yes, Of course. What is it you want to say?"

"Rei, how come you are still not going to the dance with everyone else?" Rei tried to answer, but no words came out. She was not just anxious but also very irritated that so many people was that worried about her attending some one night dance.

"Oh my word!" she shouted. Misato cocked an eyebrow at the sudden outburst. "Why does everyone around me say I should go to some stupid dance that I do not even want to go to! I do not want to go! I don't! Doesn't anybody get it! I mean take a clue for once! Yeah, I didn't want to go because I didn't even have a date to begin with! Who would want to go out with me! So, I take the "easy" way out and freeze myself enough to fool everyone into thinking I was really sick , and it worked but not long enough to keep me from the date of the idiotic dance! So, everyone, so very curious about the actions that I surround myself with, keep putting their nose into my own business! No one knows anything! They cannot understand! Not even a little! I am an ugly, selfish, inconsiderate little bitch! And no one, not even you, Misato-san, can do anything about it! I am only good for one thing and that is being a naive Eva pilot who can be pushed around like a sick dog on the streets! Now you know! Are you happy now! Well, are you!"

Rei slouched over and tried to catch her breath as she started to cry. Misato stared at her with both astonishment and sympathy never before experienced.

Misato sighed. "Okay, at least I got a specific answer from you, for once." Rei wept louder. "Rei, is that what's been bothering you for so long?" She gave Misato a faint nod of the head. "Oh, Rei-chan, you should have came and talked to me. I would have listened to you."

"You? Listen to me?"

"Of course!"

"So you would have ALL the answers to my problems?"

"No, no I wouldn't. But I have been a teenager before, and I can relate to what you're going through. Listen, Rei if you had just spoken up and said that you simply didn't want to go, then that would be it, but if you do not speak up for yourself then people would think that you are okay with a situation and wonder why you are not participating."

"Leave me alone." Misato was far from giving up.

"Tell me, Rei-chan, did anybody at school offer to be your date? Did you either turn them down or simply refuse to try?"

There was a moment of nothing before Rei answered the older woman. "Answer me, Rei," Misato said in a serious tone. Twitching in fear and rage, Rei decided to answer her before Misato became more upset.

"Yes. Someone did offer."

"Really? Who?"

Rei blushed and said:

"Kaworu-kun."


End file.
